The Wolf & The Bear
by bloomingMAD
Summary: The newborn battle is right around the corner - and someone has arrived in La Push to distract Jacob from his duties. But life and love are never easy when a wolf and a bear try to be happy together. JacobxOFC.
1. Welcome to the Club

**Author's Notes;**

Well, this is the first story I've written in a long time. But I feel very connected to the story - creative wise at the very least - and I'm hopeful that the momentum will keep going for me. I love reviews - but I won't beg for them. So if you want to leave me one and let me know what you think, yes please do. If you just want to read along as the chapters come, so be it. Please do not leave any flames, if you don't like the story or something about it, then simply leave this page and find a different story more suited to what you are looking for. If anyone is interested in beta-ing this story for me, that would be wonderful as I could probably use the help and motivation to keep going when I'm having a bad writing day! So here is the first chapter of The Wolf & The Bear and I sincerely hope that you like it.

**Disclaimer;**

I do not own Jacob Black, Bella Swan, the Pack, the Cullen family or any vampires that may occur to be constant and regular cast members of the movies and/or books. Even if they were mentioned once in the book and/or movie - I do not own them. I do however own Gray Bear, Demi Bear and all other members of the Bear family that can and will be mentioned throughout the course of the story. I do not own - nor do I wish to - any of the legends of the Quileute tribes or the Penobscot tribes. Any legends or such that I invent for the purpose of this work of fiction, will be noted at the beginning of the chapter.

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><p>The old truck rattled and clunked when it was put in park - but it was a sweet old thing. Never failed yet - but the sounds it made. She had taken it to mechanic after mechanic, but they just keep telling her to buy a new truck. Gray however, refused to give in to that computerized vehicular trend. She was often quoted as saying "I prefer my old diesel pick-up as loud and rusty as it might be.".<p>

The thankfully sleeping passenger gave a soft sigh, and Gray smiled gently over at Demi - her monster of a three year old. She was far to smart for her own good and knew way to much about life already. She'd been sleeping since the state line - but who knew how much longer that would last. She had to get the toys unpacked immediately. Step one - get Demi into the house. Step two, get to the damn toys. Demi wasn't spoiled - even though she knew that was a bit of a lie as she scooped her up in her arms - but she had one stuffed animal, a bear, that she just couldn't live without at the moment.

Getting her into the house and into her bed, was the easy part. Getting back out and getting her bear out was the hard part. Typical Gray, had forgotten to label the boxes, so now she was stuck with a giant pile of boxes in the back of the truck to unload by herself. And if past luck held true - the box with the bear would be at the very bottom of the giant pile.

Why it seemed like a good idea to climb up the side of the truck when it was icy, she would never know. But it just seemed easier. To bad it really wasn't the smartest idea in the world. She got one foot up on the tire of the truck and just as she went to bring her other foot up, she slipped off the tire. Sure the driveway was just dirt - but still, she wasn't looking forward to the headache that would surely await upon impact.

Credit where credit is due, she did try to brace for impact...but it never actually came. Just an overwhelming heat that engulfed her entire body and set it on fire - and not in a pleasant way either. That witch at the stake, get me the hell out of here kind of fire. Her eyes screwed shut - mostly because she was still expecting the impact to come.

A deep laugh like a freight train off the tracks sounded. _Great, meeting a new neighbor, who has just saved my head and my ass respectively and he's laughing at me. Wonderful first impression - gotta say. That's a new low right there for me._ "You can open your eyes now - I'm not going to drop you for fun at this point."

Superstitiously popping one eye open to find her stare met with a black clad chest. It was a nice chest. Being a single mom had it's down sides...very few dates and even fewer "dates" to settle the hormones. So she could do little but try not to salivate at the idea of what that chest would look like without that tight shirt. That was until her eyes got up to the face that matched that chest. God he was just a kid!

He couldn't have been more than sixteen. _Not to say that I'm old - I'm only nineteen._ But he was sixteen and he had a chest like that? Where had he been when she was his age! Oh right - he'd been thirteen. Studying his face, she never actually met his eyes for the sheer embarrassment.

"Thanks - for the save. I wasn't quite ready to go and visit Mother anytime soon." Despite not looking him in the eye it was easy to tell he was confused.

"Mother?" Yep, he was a teenager - he sounded like one with that tone. Once again, sounding old.

"Sorry - tribe joke. At my expense no less." He still looked confused. Even though she could really only see his chin.

"I was just a kid - three I think the elders said - when I was chasing after my mother calling for her and tripped over a rock and landed face first in the dirt. I guess I told the earth that it was a mean mother that it should want me to land on my face. Well ever since anytime someone falls in the tribe we always say 'Mother was being mean'..." Well that was awkward.

"Well then." He looked pointedly at the earth for a moment. "You mean mother - trying to make her fall on her head." She couldn't help the laugh that escaped and was thankful that he not only joined, but was kind enough to put her down finally. She was kind of glad to be out of his far to warm embrace at least a little even if he hadn't fully released her yet. Did he know he was running a deadly fever?

"Thanks again...?"

"I'll tell you my name if you look me in the eye." Not fair. But she did as he asked - how foolish to have to be asked by a sixteen year old to look him in the eye. Granted he was gargantuan in size. Gray was not small, at six foot three she was the tallest woman she'd ever come across - but he had to be at least seven feet tall almost!

Despite being a mother - she was still human and couldn't help the slow lingering gaze that raked over his chest to his broad shoulders, up his muscled neck to the beginning of his face. His chin was strong and stubborn, his lips were full and she really did just want to kiss him. He just had those kind of lips - no woman could look at them and not think kissing thoughts about those lips. His nose was straight, his skin smooth was an enticing russet colour not unlike her own skin colour - but she was just a touch darker. When she finally reached his eyes - something inside of her snapped and then clicked all in the same instance.

It was painful but beautiful at the same time. Her breath hitched for a moment - as she felt herself being pulled in two directions. Towards the man who still had his large arms wrapped around her midsection. And another pulling and begging just as strongly for her daughter. The two things connecting her in life, and they were at war. He had long since placed her on her own two feet, but his arms remained. Fingers splayed against her suddenly chilled skin where her shirt had lifted up. The heat that had once been far to much for her, even through her leather jacket now offered nothing but warmth and comfort.

"I'm Jacob Black." Their eyes were locked and it took her a second to realize what exactly he was talking about.

"Pleasure to meet you Jacob - I'm Gray Bear."

"Gray Bear?" He looked as confused as he sounded.

"Yeah - uh long story short? Tribe legend. Anything beyond that gets into the full story." She offered a sheepish smile, revealing a wide smile and pearly white teeth. "So...Jacob. Do you think you could let me go now?"

He tilted his head in the cutest way, brow furrowing to a point that made him look young and innocent again. She pointed at his arms still wrapped around her. Her midsection was so small he could have easily had his arms wrapped around her twice.

"Oh! Of course. Sorry." He gave a soft laugh, releasing her immediately. Though to any bystander - it was easy to tell they both regretted the sudden lack of contact.

"Well, I should probably get to unpacking." With the physical connection lost between them, the pull of her daughter felt stronger and more right. Her daughter was her own. She belonged to her, gave her a strength and comfort no man could ever provide. Demi was something wrong that she had done right and she wanted to hold her daughter again now. Even though she was getting a bit to big to be held all the time.

"Do you want some help?" How refreshing - a teenager with manners.

"Oh, um. No, no. I got it. Thanks for the offer though." She still couldn't tear her eyes away from his and it seemed he couldn't either.

Neither one of them heard the truck pull up, or the wolf whistles. It wasn't until the young boy was right in Jacob's ear that he actually heard him.

"Jake! Dude let's go - Sam called us." Placing a hand on Jacob's shoulder, Seth gave him a good hard shake. "Jake! Are you listening? Let's go!"

The shake did the trick, breaking their eye contact. "Sorry Gray - I gotta run. But if you change your mind, I live just next door. House with the ramp - can't miss it!" Turning to follow Seth, he pulled his black shirt off mid-run towards the truck.

Gray was once again stuck staring. It was a hot day out and she could already feel the sweat that had accumulated on her body. WIth his temperature running that high - he had to have been twice as hot - er warm! Warm as she was. Removing his shirt, he tossed it into the truck bed before hopping up in a single - and oddly graceful - leap. Showing off the strong muscles in his back and the rather nice ass.

Biting her lip she tilted her head to the side ever so slightly to watch him as they drove away. "Damn fine ass too." Turning her attentions back towards the truck full of boxes she climbed up a much safer way and began to unload.

Though they had been driving away, the unnatural hearing of the boys in the truck had caught her final parting words. It was a safe assumption that Jacob would be tormented for the comment later when they could share with the entire pack.

It was a short trip to the clearing where they parked the truck and shed their clothes for the shift. Nudity was no longer an issue among the pack. It really just wasn't practical to have clothes strapped to your paw - so most of the pack didn't worry about it when on the reservation.

As usual - the shift was smooth and painless. One form taking the place of another. Instantly Jacob was assaulted with the taunting from Paul. _Serves me right for shifting last. _

_"Whoo! Jacob - got a damn fine ass goin' there man. Turn around let me see!" _The wolf that had taken the place of Jacob offered a scowl and a soft grumble.

"_Shut up Paul."_

_"Damn Jake - she was fiiiine! Who was she? And is she single? Cause you know she'll want 'all of this' over all of you." _He really wasn't even paying attention to who was speaking. He was to lost in the memory and the thoughts about her. Seven minutes and thirty two seconds they'd been together, but it was enough time for him to form a perfect picture of her. Tall frame - she was actually taller than some of the members of the pack. She had to be at least six foot two to his six foot seven frame. She was tiny, but not in a fragile or skinny way. In a nimble way. Despite being tiny around the middle, she had broad shoulders, strong hips and muscles that made her look overly well built for a woman.

She wasn't quite as muscled as Leah - but she wasn't lacking either. For a human woman, she looked like the one to avoid in a fight. He did notice that her hands however, were soft and small with thin fingers made for gentle work and care. As well as he knew her body by sight, her face. He knew her face like he knew his own heart beat - but it wasn't enough for him. He wanted to know it even more. The tiniest imperfection in the skin, he wanted to know where it was and how it got there. Why it was there, and to tell her that it made her face perfect.

Her cheekbones were high and her nose was long and thin, but there was an almost shallow roundness to her face that he didn't see very often in women of the tribes. Her forehead was high, but covered by her black bangs. Her hair hung down bone straight to her waist and her eyes. Oh her eyes, they were a solid grey like a precious stone kept from man kind for centuries until it was a polished grey.

_"Really Jake? We had to know that much about how she looked?"_

The pack shared a silent gaze while he was lost in thought still, about how her skin felt. It seemed it hadn't even clicked yet for him.

_"Jacob you idiot - you imprinted on her. Would you just get that already so we can go meet the leeches for their 'practice'?"_ Snapping out of it, Jacob nodded, trying to regain a quiet in his mind. Trotting up beside Jacob, the black wolf nudged him with a wolfish grin.

_"Welcome to the club Jake."_

_"Thanks Sam."_


	2. The F Word

**Author's Note;**

This chapter wasn't quite as long as the first one, but it just flew off my fingertips and it seemed like a good enough place to end it. Hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer;**

Please see chapter one.

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><p>"Hey Jake." Bella offered a soft scratch behind his ears as they watched the Cullens demonstrate how the wolves could expect to be greeted by the newborn army. He allowed it, dipping his head down to give her better access to his ears. It wasn't so much that he enjoyed it, but she needed the comfort and so he offered it.<p>

Despite imprinting, he was still a good person and that was just who Jacob was. But her image kept appearing in his mind and he couldn't keep his thoughts away from her. Sam had assured him that the constant thought of her in the forefront of his mind would go away after the imprint wasn't quite so fresh. He would always be thinking about her, but he'd be able to focus better once the 'new-ness' had worn off a bit.

"_Jake – are you paying attention at all?" _Sam asked the question even though he knew the answer.

"_Not really no." _Well at least he was feeling a bit more like himself – he wasn't so lost in his own world. Not that Sam was exactly happy to have the sarcastic overly witted teenager back to normal. Sometimes he swore if Jake wasn't the true Alpha he'd kill him. But with all brothers it lasted for about an hour, maybe two and he was back to doing anything for his brother again.

"_Their done, lets just get out of here now. Please? I don't like being in their territory." _Jared piped up from Sam's left, eyes never stopping as they flicked from Cullen to Cullen to Bella and back again.

Sam nodded once, and turned leaving with the rest of the pack. Jacob was the first to leave. The sooner he got back to the reservation the sooner he got a chance to see Gray again.

"Edward – did something seem off about Jacob to you?" Not that Edward really cared but he offered Bella a small explanation into her friend's odd habits.

"As far as I can tell – he imprinted on a woman named Gray."

Jacob was gone before the rest of the pack could even catch up to him. Even Leah was left behind as he made his way back to his home. Shifting back he grabbed the ever present pair of jeans on the back porch. He had a wonderful father to be sure – Billy always made sure there was food in the house and that there was a pair of shorts or jeans on the back porch.

But he never did go into the house, he made his way immediately towards Gray's house. He spotted her, still in the back of the truck trying to finish unloading the mess that he assumed was her house.

"God damn mother fffff – Jacob! I thought you were going to be gone for a while?" Why had she memorized what he'd said to her? Why was he back? Did she actually care? No.

He held back a chuckle, only letting a small smile through instead of the damn near hysterical laughter he wanted to let out. The face she'd made when he came around the corner had not only cut her swearing short but her sense of propriety. Now he knew, she swore like a sailor!

"Gray – I've been gone for four hours."

"Four? Four hours? Well this can't be good." As if on cue she heard an evil little chuckle from the house. She smacked her forehead into her palm.

"I really need to get a watch." Without a second look to Jacob she hopped over the side of the truck in a startling contrast to earlier that afternoon when she'd fallen off the side. She landed easily on the balls of her feet before heading towards the house. Only pausing when their bare arms brushed. Which was enough to make her stop and actually realize his lack of a shirt. With the sudden contact it was if they imprinted all over again.

His eyes couldn't leave her face and her's couldn't leave his. Her body leaned into his of it's own volition as she managed to get lost in his dark brown eyes. The world around them didn't exist, it was just them.

Until of course they simultaneously heard the evil giggle from inside the house once again and the tell tale click of a dead bolt sliding into place. They both jumped back as if a small explosion had gone off between them. Jacob was the first to look at the house, eyes narrowed at the sounds coming from it.

"Is there someone in your house?" She offered a soft nod, keeping her eyes away from his even if she felt cold not looking into them.

"My daughter – she's going through the terrible two's at the age of three. She's gotten into this new habit of locking the doors and well pretty much anything she can find. She thinks it's funny when I have to pick the locks to get in."

"Did you know your daughter is evil?" He was serious – that was just evil.

"I'm horrifyingly aware of her evil. According to my father however – she is better than I was at her age." She walked warily towards the door backwards, only stopping when her back hit the solid door and Jacob stood before her.

The heat coursing from his skin warmed her insides and trapped her. He was a wall of male before her and she found that she kind of liked it. Even as her hand fumbled for the locked door handle she found her gaze travelling his body. Not noticing that his was doing the same to her.

"So, uh. Jacob. Tell me about yourself some." For the life of her, she couldn't find the handle.

"What do you want to know?" God how he loved the way she said his name, even when she was nervous.

Managing to peer around the wall of well sculpted and shirtless male before her, Gray was surprised to see ten other people leaning against her truck, just watching the scene before them. Her cheeks darkened in her own form of a blush.

The hand not fumbling for the door handle found it's way to Jacob's stomach. His flesh was feverish, so much so that the maternal part of her worried for his health. She bit her lip both in wonder and in horror. He was so warm, and though his skin was soft she could feel the metal formed muscles just beneath his super heated skin. Although she was a little horrified at herself. Whether she was a mother or not – hitting on a sixteen year old man (boy just did not describe him!) was not appropriate.

"Aww what a cute stuffed bear!" A woman with scars running the length of one side of her face knelt down to pick up the missing toy with a gentle smile.

"The bear!" She found the will to push Jacob away, though it was certainly difficult to do. With long legs, she was at the woman in mere moments.

"I can't believe you found it, I've been searching for that thing for hours." One of the men towards the back snorted.

"Why, can't sleep without it?" He started to laugh with one of the other men in the back. The two of them were having a riot as Gray only raised an eyebrow at them. She was blissfully and thankfully unaware of the raised lip and silent growl coming from Jacob who formed a wall of heat at her back now.

"Well yes actually I cannot sleep without it. If my daughter doesn't sleep – then I don't sleep. But I assume you two _boys _are the same way with your Batman nightlights hmm?" The crossed arms and hip cocked to the side along with the 'Mother Stare' did exactly what they did to every person in the world who had a mother but wasn't one. It cowed them down.

"Ignore Paul and Jared – they can be royal asses sometimes. I'm Sam Uley – and this is my fiance Emily." Sam offered a hand to her and she shook it without a second thought. Aware of how warm his hand was. Almost instantly her palms were to warm for their own good and she felt flushed.

"Nice to meet you Sam and you as well Emily." Emily offered her hand and Gray was pleasantly surprised to find that Emily ran a normal temperature. Taking the proffered bear from Emily she smiled down at it.

"Thanks Emily – Demi will be oooph!" Glancing down at her leg, Demi clung to it. Arms wrapped around her mother's thigh and legs around Gray's knee. She'd leapt at her mother not simply clung to her.

"Momma Bear! Can I has Brother Bear back! Please please please!" The instantaneous puppy eyes from the child made nearly everyone in the group gush. Even stoic and silent Leah who hadn't looked impressed at Gray's appearance.

"Okay – now that is cute!"

"Cute, until she locks you out of your _own house_." Demi had the sense to look ashamed even if everyone, including her mother could easily tell that she wasn't actually ashamed of what she had done.

"I'm sorry Momma. Can I has Brother Bear back now?"

"And what makes you think that you deserve him back you little rodent? You locked your mother out of the house. Do you realize what could've happened? I could've been eaten by the boogie man all because I couldn't get into the safety of the house!"

"I'm really really sorry Momma! I won't do it again!"

"Sure you won't. I use to tell Papa Bear that all the time, he never believed me." With a soft sigh, she rolled her eyes and relented. Handing the toy to Demi who grabbed at it with eager hands and ran off into the back yard.

"Well, now you've met Demi. I'm Gray."

"Embry, Quil, Paul, Jared, Seth, Collin, Brady, and Leah." Emily was kind enough to point to each person as she named them and everyone except Leah waved or smiled in response.

"So are you guys the welcoming committee?"

"No, I think Jacob has that one covered."

"Shut up Seth!" It wasn't long before everyone except Emily and Gray were running around the front of her house. Jacob was chasing Seth, Leah was chasing Jacob. Paul was chasing Leah, Jared was chasing Jacob, Collin was chasing Jacob and Brady. Brady was chasing Seth as for Quil and Embry – they were being chased by almost everyone for their comments on the side lines.

"Are they always like this?" She jerked a thumb towards the group of men. Poor Sam, was simply standing in the middle trying to catch all of the shirtless men or Leah by the back of their necks.

"Pretty much. I brought some pasta over for you, moving in is always a pain."

"Oh food!"

"Food?" The crowd of running people was still, watching Emily and Gray like a pack of wolves – ironic no?

"Is that a bad word to say?" Gray whispered to Emily with a slightly nervous look on her face.

"With them within a 10 mile radius? Yes." Emily whispered back to Gray, moving to stand beside her. Two women, against a pack of hungry wolves.


	3. All in the Family

**Author's Note;**

Okay, so this chapter feels a little chopped up at the end to me, but I couldn't figure out how to rework it at all to fit better without rewriting the entire thing and I like 90% of it. So, there it is.

**Disclaimer;**

See chapter one.

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><p>"Is there enough food for all of us?" The sad pathetic looks of every single member of the pack was enough to break down both Emily and Gray's resolve. Damn, they would just have to make more food. Since what was in the bowl was enough for a normal person to eat for a week. For the wolves? Not even close to enough.<p>

"No, but if you all promise to behave and grab a box on your way into the house – I'll make some steaks to go with it." No more motivation was needed, her truck bed was basically empty within a matter of moments, except for her bed frame which would require two people to maneuver it.

"Alright – first lesson learned. Don't say the F word around them." Linking her arm with Emily's, Gray pulled her into the house, depositing her in the living room which was open to the kitchen. She had a breakfast bar to eat at, but no real dining room set to speak of so everyone was left to find a seat on the floor or on the many couches in chairs that filled the large room.

"Do you want some help Gray?"

"Sure Em! That would be great." She turned to the kitchen, grabbing pots, pans and other assorted cooking items. When she turned back around the pack was hovering at her breakfast bar waiting for food.

"Alright – let me take your orders then."

"Steak – medium rare!"

"Chicken – do you have chicken? I really want some chicken!"

"Pasta and some pork and some fries?" From there the din of voices got louder and louder as Gray stood there, arms crossing, spatula in hand. She looked like a T.V. Mom from the forties on steroids.

"Quiet! Alright, so that's 3 chickens, 10 steaks, 12 pork chops, three batches of fries, more pasta...and that's it right?" The group nodded.

"Okay then. Let's get to work Em. You guys, hang out in the living room. Hook up the T.V. If you want to watch it. And Demi – don't even think about unpacking those boxes in my bedroom!" With a sing song flourish to the end of the sentence she turned and began pulling out the needed items for the food.

Demi made her way into the living room, adjusting her dress ever so slightly so that it laid nicer and wasn't all wrinkly, and plopped right down on Seth's lap who was sitting in **her** spot on the couch.

"Demi – why are you sitting in my lap?"

"I'm sitting in my spot." She crossed her arms across her chest, furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes before glaring up at Seth. In a mirror image of what had happened only four hours previous, Seth's stare seemed to go blank as he gazed into the narrowed grey eyes of Demi who now sat in his lap with a heavy pout on her face.

"Two women – same family? Jacob, meet your future son in law – Seth!"

"Collin could you at least try and stay quiet? Gray doesn't know yet."

"I don't know what!" They heard the half hearted yell from the kitchen and immediately froze, trying to think of a good lie. Even after all the time that they had been wolves, they still weren't that great at on the spot lies.

"That Brady busted your DVD player!" Collin swiftly kicked the DVD player, effectively breaking it before Gray could enter the room.

"Why do I get blamed for it? I didn't do it!" Brady whisper yelled at Collin.

"Shut up guys! She's coming in here."

"But I didn't do anything!" Brady got a kick in the ribs from Leah and was quickly silenced. Gray entered and looked from Brady to the DVD player. Something was off. They all wore mirror images of giant 'innocent' grins. That and the DVD player with a smashed in front told her fairly easily that they were lying and it was a group lie.

"Don't worry about it Brady – I got it cheap off the internet."

"Offer to buy her a new one Jacob. Yeah – come on, be the knight in shining tin foil!" The whispers flew between the group two low for anyone without super hearing to hear them.

"Gray – I've got an extra one I got for Christmas from my sister – you can have it." For that, Jacob received a giant smile and a light blush.

"Are you sure Jacob? I don't want to be taking it away from you if you were going to use it."

"No, I'm sure."

"Yeah, he's sure!" Gray cocked her head to the side at most of the group who had spoken the words at the same time.

"Uh...okay. How about we make a deal? I'll borrow it until I can get a new one myself?" Jacob wanted to argue with her about it. But from the serious expression she had donned he got the feeling that arguing wouldn't be the best way to get on her good side. Though he doubted she had a bad side.

"Sounds good to me." Despite the people in the room, they were having a moment. Until of course Leah had to break it up.

"Is the food almost ready?"

"Huh? Oh yeah – just a few more minutes and we'll have it done. You guys can come grab plates...why is Seth looking at my daughter like that?" Everyone's eyes followed Gray's to find Seth still sitting there with Demi in his lap, just staring at her as Demi watched the T.V.

"Him? Um, he loves kids?" At the look Sam received from Gray it was obvious she wasn't thinking about that in a good way.

"No! Not like that! He wants to be a...umm..."

"A pre-school teacher! And he's just amazed at how grown-up Demi is at age three. That's all!"

"Okay then. Well then, I guess it's alright." Though she had a look reminiscent of the wolves when they were first learning to control their furry explosions. Some of the younger wolves – and even Sam were wondering if she was going to spontaneously combust or explode and turn fuzzy on them. But after a moment, she smiled at them and turned back into the kitchen to finish preparing the meal.

"Seth – would you please stop looking at her like that! We're trying to make Gray not suspicious until Jacob grows a pair big enough to tell her what he is."

"Hey! Could I get some slack over here? I only met the woman, what, four and a half hours ago? Sam had to grovel to Em for months before she'd go anywhere near him!"

"I did not grovel, I romanced her." Sam puffed up his chest a bit, as if he really believed it. But everyone knew he was full of it. The look on Leah's face changed from merely bitchy like usual to downright pissed off. Stomping into the kitchen she nearly ran into Gray.

"Sorry Leah – I didn't see you there."

"Yeah? Well maybe you need to watch where you are going better." Jacob's eyes narrowed and even though Leah could feel them glaring burning pits into her back, she didn't even react. She was to pissed at the moment to care. Besides, the pack wouldn't let Jacob go all furry in Gray's house. Seth especially since poor little Demi might get hurt.

"I apologized Leah, if that isn't good enough for you then you need to sit down, shut up and learn your manners again."

"I don't care that you apologized, you need to look where you're going before you start walking somewhere!"

"_I need to?_" It was kind of like watching a car crash as the men folk in the pack would later describe it – they couldn't look away. Leah went from being a strong dominant female wolf, to being a submissive nearly whining pup in a matter of moments.

"Leah, I am going to say this once and **only** once. This is my house and in my house, I am the biggest bitch. Outside of this house, I am the biggest bitch you'll ever meet. And I _dare_ you to throw one more snide comment, snarly quip, or bitchy pissed off attitude laden look in my direction one more time. Once more – and you will find out exactly what happens to people that do that in my house."

Gray was standing straight, and even slouching she was taller than Leah who was only five foot ten, her shoulders were squared and her eyes were cold and empty. Though Leah looked a lot tougher physically, there was some debate in the minds of the men watching on what would happen should Leah decide to pick a fight with Gray.

"I'm sorry Gray." It was little more than a whisper, but it was enough for Gray.

"Good – now come get some food." She was back to being rather upbeat and happy and lead Leah into the kitchen with a gentle smile. "Coming boys?"

Seth scooped Demi and headed towards the kitchen. Quil pulled him aside for a moment with a small smile.

"I'm no longer the only one! Hey, we should talk to Gray about getting Claire and Demi together for a play date. The girls would love it!"

Upon entering the kitchen, it looked like any afternoon meal at Emily and Sam's house. The kitchen was near to bursting with food – though Emily didn't look nearly as tired as she usually did. Thanks to Gray having done a lot of it as well.

"Demi first – then you guys can dig in." Demi squirmed her way out of Seth's arms and got herself some pasta in a dainty little blue bowl before marching into the living room and claiming her spot on the couch once more.

"Okay – dig in guys!" They did just that. Piling their plates high with far to much food for a normal person to eat. It made Emily look like she was putting herself on a diet with how little was on her plate. Although she actually had a normal healthy appetite.

"Whoa – Jake, look at Gray." Jacob glanced over at his very reason for being and stopped stock still as he watched her pile food onto her plate. Three pieces of chicken, two pork chops, a steak, fries and pasta. She had just as much as he did and he was the biggest in his pack.

"Are you saving those for later?" At her quizzical look he pointed to the giant pile of food on her plate.

"No, I'm hungry." Leaving the group she headed into the living room and plopped down on the floor and began to eat.

"No way she finishes that guys." Quil looked almost nauseated at the very idea of a normal human eating that much.

"Ten bucks says she does." Embry pulled the ten from his pocket and waved it in front of Quil.

"You're on." Twenty minutes later, Gray was going back for seconds.

"You owe me ten bucks dude." Quil handed Embry a ten, and watched as Gray came back with a slightly smaller portion. But that was only because there wasn't a lot of food left on the table. Jacob tilted his head to the side, then back and then to the other side. He was studying her body from every angle as she took a drink from her water bottle.

"Jacob – what are you doing?" Emily elbowed him gently so as not to hurt herself. He pointed at Gray slightly so as not to draw her attention. At this point, the entire pack was looking at her in both shock and awe as she began eating her second heaping plate of food.

"Well Jake?"

"Where does she put it all...?"


	4. Love Thy Neighbour

**Author's Note;**

Thank you so very much to deanloverforever for being my very first reviewer! Hey, I know I said I don't beg for reviews, but I do love them all the same! Now this chapter was a bit of a filler chapter, but it does help move the plot along a bit. It's really the beginning of when things begin to move, the first three chapters were kind of introductory to Gray and Demi. Now, if some of you are thinking that for being imprints, Jacob and Gray really haven't spent a lot of alone time together, you're right. But there is a reason for that and you'll understand why in the next chapter. The next chapter will be completely Jacob and Gray having some one on one time finally.

**Disclaimer;**

Please see chapter one.

* * *

><p>"Do you think she's hiding something Em?" Emily lay barely awake, curled in Sam's arms. But as ritual would have it, just as she was about to fall asleep he had something to talk to her about. It was habit, ritual and predictable. It both annoyed her and endeared her to him.<p>

"Who? Gray?" She felt the silent nod as he kissed her neck gently. With his tender kisses peppering her neck, cheek and ear she had a hard time actually thinking for a second.

"Yes and no. I don't think she's hiding anything dangerous or that will harm the pack, but I think she's been through some things that she isn't just going to blurt out in open company. I know for a fact she's hiding how attractive she finds Jacob."

"She seemed fairly unfazed by him." Emily responded by clicking her tongue against her teeth.

"Typical man! She wants him, but I think it's the age thing that is really getting to her. Not to mention her daughter. I think Demi is a big part of the problem for her. And I don't blame her, I wouldn't want to introduce my child to someone that could end up just being a fling. Get them comfortable with that person and then rip them away without a real explanation."

"But she isn't a fling to Jacob – she's his imprint."

"I know that, and you know that. Jacob knows that and on some level she does too. But I think the maternal tie to her daughter is just as strong as the imprint tie to Jacob. She probably doesn't know where to go or how to deal with it. And I don't blame her, I'd feel lost too." Sam began peppering her with kisses again, occasionally his tongue would drag along the curve of her ear.

"Samuel Uley – are we having a conversation or are you trying to turn this into something more than it is?" She didn't get an answer, he instead grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. Effectively ending the conversation about Gray, Jacob and the subject of imprinting.

Hefting the large box of shingles under one arm and climbing the ladder, Gray looked quite the sight. She'd noticed that the roof needed to be redone. An old boyfriend of her's had been a construction worker and he'd been very good at re-shingling. She'd learnt a lot from him. He was also the one that taught her how to pick locks. Simple ones only, but pick them none the less.

"Good morning!" It was sheer luck that Gray didn't drop the box of shingles. Instead she managed to rest them on the ladder rung above her before turning around. Looking down she spotted Billy Black, her next door neighbour and Jacob's father.

"Morning Billy!" They'd been introduced the following night when Billy had come looking for Jacob and the source of the good smelling food. "How is life treating you?"

"Oh not so bad. Although I seem to be out of milk. Jacob drank the last of it this morning before his run. I was wondering if I could catch a ride to the store with you if you're going."

"Sure thing. Is your truck not working?" He shook his head no as she climbed down the ladder.

"Jake is putting new brakes on it and hasn't gotten a chance to finish yet." He was lying. Through his teeth and over his lips. But he wanted to get to know this young woman who had moved into the house next his. The one that had been empty for so very long. It had been for sale even longer.

There was something about her, something he just had to investigate. Jacob acted funny whenever her name was mentioned or if he happened to see her through the window. But he wouldn't say anything to Billy even if Billy was fairly certain he knew what was going on.

"Lazy teenagers!" She mocked the idea of teenagers, despite being one herself. She could tell Billy was lying. He wasn't that good at it really. Better than his son, but not by much. But she figured he just wanted to get to know her. Although he was probably having the same issue she was having with Jacob. Was it wrong to want to know someone younger than you?

Obviously there was a hell of a lot larger age gap between herself and Billy, then her and Jacob. But she still felt weird about how very much she just wanted to strip Jacob down and just stare at him. Or just have him touch her. Or her touch him.

"Momma Bear!" Prepared, Gray spun around to scoop Demi and turn back around to face Billy. "Who this Momma?"

"This is Billy Black. Jacob's dad. Billy, this is my daughter Demi."

"Pleasure to meet you Demi." Demi squirmed in her mother's arms, reaching for Billy who with a laugh accepted her and balanced her on his lap before she knelt in his lap to be eye level with him. Despite being three years of age, she was still quite small.

"Hi Billy! Why are you in this chair?"

"Demi Melinda Bear!" Billy just laughed, waving a hand at the outraged Gray.

"It's okay Gray. Well Demi, I'm in this chair because it gives me super powers. I can roll down a hill faster than you can run down one!" The story of Billy's super powers just went on as Gray collapsed the ladder and laid it down on the ground.

"Hey Gray, is Demi ready to go?" Spinning around to face Seth she smiled. Despite being at first very uncomfortable with how happy Seth had been to simply be near Demi and play with her, she'd come to realize that he just wanted to be her friend.

"Yeah, she's just getting told the fantastical tale of Billy's chair and his superpowers."

"That is no tale! When he uses ramming speed to get you in the ankles, you know it."

"Seth Clearwater, are you telling tall tales about me again?" Seth grinned sheepishly over at Billy.

"Of course not Billy – I was affirming to Gray just how real your super powers are is all. Hey Demi, ready to go play with Claire and Quil at the beach?" Demi nodded, and without a passing glance to her mother or to Billy she grabbed Seth's hand and ran off. Pulling him with all her three year old might and as fast as she possibly could. He was nice enough to make her feel like she was really pulling him.

"She's adorable. You make pretty babies Gray." Billy patted her hand which had been resting on his shoulder. "And you take good care of her."

"Thanks Billy – I do my best. So, shall we head to the store?"

"Let's get going. If you can get me close to your truck, I should be able to pull myself up and in. I might need a little bit of help, but I can usually make it on my own." Helping him as close to the side of the truck as possible, Gray prepared herself to help him.

What neither realized, was that Gray's truck didn't have handles to pull oneself in with until they were there.

"Oh well then, I can give you some cash. Would you mind picking me up some milk?" She shook her head.

"Why? I can lift you in." Billy looked up at her, eyes narrowing in confusion. She was going to lift him up? Jacob could lift him no problem, but Jacob was also a shape shifter, nearly seven feet tall and looked stronger than a red oak. Gray? Sure she was tall for a woman, but she didn't look that strong!

"Are you sure Gray? I don't want you to hurt yourself." She shrugged before leaning down to slip a hand under Billy's knees.

"I'm sure. Okay, hold on." He put an arm over her shoulder to make it easier to lift him. She wrapped a long arm around his back and he was surprised to feel her stand straight up. Lifting him like he was a bag of flour not a full grown man. She slid him into the truck before collapsing his chair like a pro and putting it into the back of the truck. He closed the door just as she hopped in and closed her own.

"Well if I said I wasn't surprised at that, I'd be lying. I didn't figure you to be that strong girl."

"My grandfather was in a wheelchair for the last two years of his life. I was lifting him in and out of his house the entire time. He was to stubborn to accept that he was in a wheelchair and build a ramp."

"Ah, well I have fully accepted my disability." Leaning over conspiratorially she smiled at him before mock whispering.

"Not a disability remember? Super powers." He couldn't help but laugh at her pose.

"Correct, but you must never reveal my secret identity!"

"Oh never." The pair continued to chat and laugh and make jokes as they drove into town together. As they talked, Billy was able to surmise that she was a single mom and that Demi's father had never been in the picture. Wheeling into the grocery store with Gray, he decided to ask the question he really wanted to ask.

"So, how old are you exactly Gray?"

"Why you want to know Billy? Afraid my age will change our little love affair?" She winked at him with a laugh, putting a loaf of bread into the basket that sat in Billy's lap.

"Of course not dear, but I'm just curious. You're very mature to be raising Demi all by yourself, but you just don't seem that old at the same time."

"Don't worry about it Billy – I'm just teasing. I'm nineteen, I got pregnant with Demi when I was sixteen." She was surprised when Billy reached out a hand to grab her forearm to stop her in her tracks.

"Then what I said holds even more true now that I know just how old you are. You're still a girl yourself and you're raising your daughter, alone. You're very mature, but you're not bitter. It's nice to see that. And I can tell that you do everything first and foremost for your daughter. I'm proud to call you a friend Gray." She wasn't sure what it was, but something about what he said made her tear up a bit.

"Thank you Billy – that means a lot." She leaned down to hug him, earning a kiss on the forehead from him. She stood, pushing her long braided hair back out of her face and wiping at the tears that held their place on her high cheekbones.

"Alright – so milk hmm?"


	5. Can't Doesn't Mean Won't

**Author's Note;**

First off, thank you to everyone who has added this story to your favorites. Second, thank you to Pedro-IS-Madi12 for the review and the compliment on my writing. I'm very glad you like it, and thank you very much for reviewing. Now this chapter took on a life of it's own, it was actually meant to be more than smut, but it just worked out that the next chapter will probably answer a few questions, create more, or make you all think that I'm insane. Either way, the next chapter should help fill in some holes. Now if anyone is wondering about Bella and the Cullens, yes they are still part of the story, and they will make a small feature in the next chapter, but they will have a larger part in the chapter following that.

**Disclaimer;**

Please see chapter one.

* * *

><p>"Thanks again for the ride Gray." The old truck rattled, clunked and growled as it was put into park. Gray was lucky to hear Billy over the noise it made.<p>

"Not a problem Billy! Hey, Jacob's good with vehicles right? Do you think maybe he'd be willing to take a look at my truck?"

"Why don't you ask me nicely?" Had she not been strapped into her seat, Gray would have nearly hit the roof of the truck at the fright that Jacob gave her. She placed a hand over her fast beating heart.

"Are you trying to kill me!" Reaching out the open window she punched him in the shoulder hard. He actually rubbed at the spot a little when she pulled her hand back.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For scaring me!" Billy cleared his throat, arms crossed over his chest.

"Alright kids, one of you let me out of the truck and then you two can fight it out. I will not be a casualty in this war." Both teens had the decency to feign innocence and shame before Jacob helped Billy out. Gray grabbed the chair and set it up. Once Billy was deposited in his chair he began to ask for groceries until there was a honking sound. Looking over, Billy started smiling.

"I forgot, fishing! Charlie and I are going fishing, I'll be back for the bonfire tonight. Gray, you should join. Bring Demi too." Gray nodded as Billy wheeled himself over to Charlie's car. Before Gray or Jacob could say anything, Billy was in the car and Charlie was speeding off. Only a little suspicious.

"I guess we should get the groceries inside before they melt." Jacob reached into the back, grabbing about half of the groceries in one hand while Gray grabbed the rest in both hands. What had turned into a milk run, had turned into a full blown grocery shop. It seemed to her that Billy and Jacob were not the best at making lists and going shopping. When Billy came back she'd have to offer to do their grocery shopping for them every week.

"So, what about your truck?"

"Oh, I've taken it to mechanic after mechanic about that horrible noise it makes when I put it into park, but they just keep telling me to buy a new truck. I think secretly they don't want to admit that they don't know how to fix it."

"What year is it?" He'd been so preoccupied with Gray, he hadn't even really looked at her vehicle.

"1950, but the under-carriage has been rebuilt and I'll admit I let my Dad super power the engine for me. So it's got about four hundred horsepower now instead of ninety two." She smiled sheepishly. "I like power in my trucks." She offered a shrug before starting to put the groceries in their proper place.

"I'll take a look at her for you. Or are you weird and refer to your truck as a he?"

"No, my truck is a girl. Her name is Beulah." She grinned proudly at the name of her truck as she reached towards one of the larger cupboards. Honestly, the entire incident that followed was Jacob's fault and his alone. He had been promising to fix that cupboard for his Dad for months. Ever since he'd broken it in a fit of rage when he was first changing. But seeing as he was the only one who could reach it, and the baking items were only kept in that cupboard, he just kept forgetting. So really, it was his fault.

"No! Don't open that cupboard!" He tried to grab it, honestly he did. But he was to far away to stop the cupboard from crashing down directly onto Gray's head. It bounced off her head with a hard and very solid thud. She stood there completely flabbergasted at what had happened.

"Ow." Gingerly touching her head where it had hit, she didn't feel any wetness, which meant she was head wound free. But still with the ow. He grabbed the cupboard from her hand and placed it on the counter, instantly wanting to make sure that she was okay.

"Gray, I am so sorry. I should've said something sooner, or remembered to fix it like I promised to do months ago!" His fingers gently grasped her's to pull her hand away from her head. Looking down he was relieved to see that there wasn't even a goose egg forming on the top of her head.

"It's okay Jacob – it just stunned me is all." Still his fingers grazed through her braided hair gently, searching for any wounds. Being in such a close proximity to her, he became more aware of her scent. She smelt like the forest just after a forest fire. The smell of a campfire, pine trees, and something unique to her, all rolled into one. It just so happened that the smell of a campfire was his favourite smell.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. T-thank you for the concern though." He noticed her stutter and her light blush.

"Do I make you nervous Gray?" Instantly her eyes narrowed and met his and though there was a fire in her eyes, it wasn't an angry fire.

"No. Of course not." She tried desperately to look defiant. He was a good man, he was going to humour her.

"Good to know." Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her forehead. "All better."

"Thanks..." His lips lingered on her forehead. The physical touch was almost like imprinting on her all over again. So instead of pulling away from her like he had intended to do, he stayed close to her. He wanted to be close to her, he wanted to touch her. The need was overwhelming.

"Jacob?" She sounded nervous, and part of him was pained that he was the reason she was nervous. But she was nervous not because of what he was doing, but because she wanted him to. Slowly he leaned down towards her until their lips were just barely apart.

"Jacob, what are you doing?" It sounded like she had been running, but she kept holding her breath, afraid to breath in his scent. The scent of nature and freedom. The scent that just screamed safety, warmth and him. She was nervous, her heart was pounding. The entire time, Jacob remained silent. Causing her heart to pound faster.

He was mesmerized by her, even nervous she was beautiful and enchanting. Her tongue flicked out to lick her bottom lip, and it grazed his due to their proximity. Instinct took over, and his lips met hers. It was a gentle kiss, chaste, sweet and simple. Until she began to kiss him back.

Her mind was reeling. This was insane, she was nineteen, he was sixteen. She should not be kissing her sixteen year old neighbour. Even if he looked like he should be twenty five that did not make it okay. Even more than not kissing him, she should not be enjoying his kiss. But it was like his kiss was made for her, his lips fit perfectly to her's. She had to stop him. Placing a hand on his shoulder she pushed back just enough that he got the message. He pulled back from her, eyes finding her's.

"We can't." He wanted to retaliate, tell her that she was kissing him back, she had been enjoying herself even if she wanted to deny it. But he wouldn't, he would remain silent out of respect for her. So he only nodded.

It was almost an act of God that he was able to separate himself from her and put some distance between them. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough that they couldn't touch each other merely by breathing.

"We can't do this, that. We just can't Jacob. I'm sorry." She wasn't sure why she was apologizing, but she couldn't help it. He nodded again.

"I should go." He couldn't let her leave like that, he needed her to stay longer. He needed a chance to prove that he could respect her boundaries until she was ready to reach them herself.

"Gray – " She turned to face him, silently asking what he wanted and needed. But he couldn't think of anything to make her stay. But some benevolent deity was kind to him that day. The washing machine alarm started to beep from the back of the house.

"Can you help me with the washer? I think I broke it." Not really a lie, just an impromptu truth really.

"I can take a look at it." He lead her back to the laundry room, pointing to the washing machine that looked possessed. Bubbles were spurting out of the lid and it was rocking from side to side in a devilish manner.

"Okay, it wasn't doing that when I started the load!" Backing away from it slowly, he put his hands in the air. As if the washer would respect his no fire signal and stop it's evil behaviour. But it only continued to whine and groan while spitting and rocking.

"It sounds like the load is unbalanced, let me look." Lifting the lid she was surprised to see a giant amount of clothes trying to escape from the washing machine. Raising an eyebrow she turned to Jacob, hands on her hips.

"Alright, either the washer is having some serious indigestion from the last ten years of washing clothes, or you put far to many clothes in. I'm betting on option one." Grinning sheepishly he shrugged.

"What can I say? I'm a guy, laundry is not my forte."

"Obviously." Grabbing handfuls of the clothing, she quickly lessened the amount of clothing in the washer before closing the door and pressing the start button once more.

"There, that should fix it." She turned around to find herself in a similar position to what she had been in back in the kitchen. Though this time, he was looking over her shoulder at the washer, he wasn't encroaching on her personal space for the reason she wanted him to be.

True to imprinting laws, Jacob was being exactly what she needed. At that moment, she had told him she needed him not to make advances towards her. And he would do such and had almost become oblivious to the position they were in because of it. Almost.

Pushing her lower back against the washer to gain as much distance from him as she could, even if her body wanted to go forward not back. She did exactly what she had done a few minutes ago, she put a hand on his shoulder. Though her hand travelled now to rest against his stomach underneath the tight black t-shirt. Her fingers curled into the fabric and pulled him closer.

"Gray, I thought you said we couldn't."

"I'm a Bear. Just because we can't, doesn't mean we won't." With that she pulled him down to her. Their lips finding each other again. What had previously been a very chaste kiss, was not in round two. There was a force there that had been lacking from their first kiss. Ever the chivalrous gentleman he pulled back from her, forehead resting against her's.

"Gray."

"Now you want to talk? Really?"

"Talk no, but I just want to be sure this is what you want." She knew what she wanted, but she knew what her brain would spew if given half a chance to use her mouth for anything other than kissing. So instead of answering, she gave a tug on his shirt, pulling him close again. Close enough that her fist dug into her midsection and his from how forcefully she'd pulled. He still did nothing and she gave him a warning look.

"Jacob." His lips were on her's so fast she barely finished saying his name. The hands that had been on the washer now found their way to her waist, resting there gently. Instead of their kiss being calm, tame or slow it was fast and full of passion with a sense of urgency. Both of them were wondering when she would come to her senses.

His lips moved against her's for a moment without response and he wondered if she had changed her mind that quickly until her lips nervously moved back against his. It had been a very long time since she'd kissed anyone. But the passion in the kiss made her nervous even as she responded. Her hands slid from their useless positions to run up his shirt covered torso, feeling the definition of the muscle beneath, to his neck. One hand decided to climb further, her fingers curling into his shaggy hair allowing her to pull herself even closer.

Now they were chest to chest, hip to hip and thigh to thigh. They pulled back, but only for air. As soon as they each took in a gasping breath, their lips connected once again. Jacob's hands grabbed onto her hips with a bruising force as their kiss became less tentative and more relaxed. It surprised him when the very tip of her tongue brushed against his lower lip. A low groan escaped him at her boldness, his tongue moving to meet her's.

What made her kiss him, beg for entrance into his mouth, fight with his tongue for dominance and not let him win, she would probably never know. His groan shook her to the very core, her fingers digging into his hair and his shoulders harder, clinging to him as the smallest and softest of moans slipped past her lips. Whether it was her moan or the fact that she didn't let him win in their battle for dominance, but he fell for her even more right there. She was perfect for him. Leaving her hips in favour of her ass, Jacob gave a squeeze and was pleased to find that she was perfectly made for him, and he for her. But she wasn't close enough.

Great minds think alike it seemed. Leaning down further, but never breaking the kiss, his hands grabbed her thighs, just beneath the curve of her ass and lifted her. She met him, lifting herself up into his hands, using his shoulders as leverage. He placed her on the washer, hands roaming her legs, hating the fact that she was wearing jeans. Then she did something that nearly had him undone.

She bit at his lower lip. It was more than a nip, but it wasn't hard enough to hurt or even do damage. It just made him growl into her lips. Her hands slid from his neck to his chest, but not to pull him away. Just to admire the feel of his muscles beneath her hands. It seemed that the contact was not enough as she quickly grabbed the neck of his t-shirt and pulled, ripping it in half. The remains slid from his shoulders. Pulling back to breath and to look at him, she couldn't help the fact that she bit her lower lip in appreciation. For being a sixteen year old, he had a body that did not tell the truth about his age.

To mimic her act, though far more gently, he pulled open the white button up shirt she had on to reveal a thin black tank top. Instead of sliding it from her shoulders, he used the fabric to trap her arms. A small grin flitted over his features, nudging her chin up he attacked her neck. His teeth pulled at the skin, abusing it and soothing the pain with his tongue. It was like he knew exactly what she wanted and how she wanted it because she whimpered as he found a particularly sensitive spot just beneath her jaw.

"_Pick up the phone. Pick up the phone. Pick up the phone." _Groaning in frustration, Jacob answered his phone. Intent on telling whom so ever was calling to call back later – although perhaps not so eloquently as that.

"Jacob, are you guys ever coming to the bonfire? We're all waiting on you. Sue won't let us eat!" The whine of Collin, Brady and Jared echoed through the phone. Grabbing the phone, Gray managed to compose herself enough to talk.

"Is Seth there with Demi?"

"Yeah." She groaned, hoping against hope that the answer would've been no. But she had threatened Seth's life if he didn't have her at the bonfire by six. Jacob grabbed the phone back.

"We'll be right there."


	6. The Legend of the Bear Clan

**Author's Note;**

Let me first say a giant thank you to everyone who has added this story to your favorites list. Now as I said before, this chapter would answer questions, make more questions or just confuse you all into thinking I'm more of a nut case than I already am. Now I did lie to you though, it turns out this chapter didn't work out exactly the way I wanted it to - so no Cullens in this chapter. But they are a very large part of the next chapter. That still is true. If any of you are wondering about the newborn battle, it is coming up. Now in this chapter there is a legend of the Penobscot Indians and I must say this, they have a very varied story base and I hope - if anyone reading this story is of the Penobscot Indians - that I do not offend as that is not and was never my intention. I did take a small bit of creative license with the legend. Though not so much as to alter the legend all together, but I did it as more of an insight. What I think the Bear clan would have known that they might not have shared with everyone else as the legend was passed down from generation to generation. I did change wording here and there and how it was told a bit, but that happens naturally as a story is passed down, words and phrases change with the times and the person speaking them. And I did insert a small bit of my personal belief about the legend in there, but again it was done as an insight for a work of fiction that is all.

**Disclaimer;**

Please see chapter one. I do not own the legends of the Penobscot Indians, I am just grateful at being able to borrow one for this story.

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><p>How the devil they got out of that house in one piece without touching each other again would forever be one of the mysteries lost to time. Once they were out of the house, their hands kept touching as they walked side by side towards First Beach – though neither made a move to actually hold hands, they did not stop their hands from touching either. It seemed that something had shifted between them. Not as far as Jacob would have liked as he wanted to be able to touch her and hold her, but he was happy that she wasn't rejecting the imprint to leave him left whining like Sam had been with Emily for a while.<p>

"So what happens at these bonfires anyway?" Jacob shrugged slowly, trying to think of a way to explain it so that it didn't come out the way it was. It was a pack, their families and their respective imprints only. No one else from the tribe was ever invited, some in the tribe didn't even know that the Pack existed.

"Our families have always been close, even back in tribe legend, and it's just kind of stuck. Every weekend or so, at the very least, all of our parents, siblings, and girlfriends get together with us and we share stories from tribe history. We tell legends, or stories about one of the members present at the bonfire. It's a whole bonding ritual I guess you could say."

"That's nice. My tribe never actually did anything like that. We had the communal gathering space on the reserve, but when we all used it at the same time, it was kind of like no one was there really. At least for my family, the legend surrounding my family has left us a bit alone. Part of why I left." She hadn't meant to open up to him so much, but she had. And she didn't regret it.

"Will you tell us the legend tonight?" She considered a moment before smiling.

"Only if you can get the entire group to want to hear it. Old tribal superstition."

"You still haven't even told us where you came from, or your tribe. Anything!"

"It comes along with the legend, don't worry. It makes for a real hoot and a holler and a giggle." He wasn't so sure of that. If her tribe knew anything like his tribe did, well then. There was a grain of truth to her story. Or perhaps more than a grain, but not all legends had men that turned into giant wolves to fight leeches that decided to move onto their land. They were coming up on First Beach now and had remained quiet, though it was a comfortable silence that actually made them feel a little closer.

"Mommy!" Demi and Claire came running out of no where and tackled ay as best as they could. She allowed herself to fall down in the sand with a cry of defeat.

"No! How was I defeated? Revenge, I shall get my revenge!" She mock screamed her rage before falling completely limp on the ground. Jacob was about to enact this mock revenge when Seth, Quil, Embry, Collin and Brady came flying out of the bushes to tackle Jacob to the hard ground.

"Triumph over our enemies girls!" Both little girls got up off of the still fake dead Gray and ran over to Seth and Quil who were sitting on Jacob's chest while Collin and Brady lay on his legs trying to hold him down. Embry was almost sitting on his head. Even with that much weight, Jacob was still managing to lift them off the ground a bit with his struggles. Though he wasn't struggling hard really.

"No! You have to keep your enemy pinned or they come back to life!" Teaching them the ways of the wolf pack already, how nice. As if on cue Gray stood up a fake growl in her chest before she ran forward to grab the two girls. Snatching them up in her arms and pretending to chew off their arms and nibble on their ears.

"Yummy! You girls taste good – like fresh meat. Muahaha!" With that she ran off down the beach towards the bonfire with the girls.

"Hey gang. I brought dinner – two fresh little girls to cook on the fire. Yum!" The girls squealed and wiggled in Gray's arms before being released to go and run around with some of the younger kids that had been brought along.

"Hey Gray! You let dinner get away. Go catch it, I want food!" Paul and his stomach yelled at Gray from across the fire. Spotting a football laying on the ground, Gray grabbed it and whipped it at Paul. It hit him squarely in the head.

"Whoo! Triumph over my enemy." She started laughing as Paul stood up and began to come towards her. She turned and ran, she wasn't stupid. She was doing a good job keeping ahead of Paul. She was able to fit through tight spaces in the rocks that he couldn't because of his size so she used it to her advantage. It wasn't until she came around a rock and found Jacob there that she got at all nervous.

"Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh is right little miss Gray." Scooping her he ran towards the water. Seeing where he was going she started to kick and wiggle, but he had her over his shoulder and had a tight grip behind her knees. He was knee deep in the water before he gave her a toss, letting her land in the deep water. She stayed under for a minute before rising out of the water in a vague reminiscence of the Loch Ness monster. Although it did not look near as much like a half drowned rat as she did.

Paul and Jacob were nearly killing themselves laughing at her expense, both standing in the water now. Sinking back under the water when they weren't noticing, she began a very slow crawl along the bottom towards them. Jacob took a moment to open his eyes from his laughter. As far as he had seen, she hadn't resurfaced yet and he was suddenly worried. Paul became worried as well. They began calling for her, searching the black water and hoping she'd surface. Everyone on the beach had seen her rise from the water and had a fairly good idea what would happen, so they left the men to their frantic worrying without saying a thing.

"Jacob, do you think she hit her head on something?"

"Oh god what if she can't swim!" Before either could make another suggestion, something grabbed their ankles simultaneously and pulled. Taking their feet out from under them and leaving them to fall into the water now. Laughing hysterically, Gray ran towards the fire, trying not to fall down due to laughter. She didn't succeed. The only thing that stopped the war was the growling stomachs of every wolf pack member and of Gray.

Sue Clearwater was kind enough to offer up food which the pack and Gray devoured. While eating, Quil, Embry and Jacob were still trying to figure out where the hell she put it all. After dinner, which had been very large and very filling it was time for stories. Billy told the story of how Taha Aki had become the first wolf. How what remained now of the tribe was descended from wolves as Taha Aki fathered many more sons and daughter. It was a wonderful story, and the way Billy told it, it came to life in the fire, the shapes that were usually nonsensical looked as if they took on the life of Billy's words, to create his story in image and shape it.

"That was beautifully told Billy."

"Thank you Gray, but it's your turn now. You have to tell us a story from your tribe." Gray glared at Jacob.

"I'm sure someone else has a story to tell." Jacob shook his head, leaning towards her.

"You're the only one here from another tribe. So it's your turn."

"Damn it." Billy slid himself down the log that the elders had placed themselves on, giving her room to sit in the middle where everyone could see her and hear her best. She tried to decide which story to tell. She knew Jacob wished to hear the one about how she got her name. It seemed, the legend of the Bear clan would be the one told. Funny, one story about a man becoming a wolf, another about a man becoming a bear. But before she could start, she would have to introduce them to her people a little.

"As Jacob and Billy have prodded and asked, I'll tell you all the legend of how my name came to be. For those of you here that do not know, my name is Bear and it is a proud and strong name that I stand by and live by, as will my daughter Demi when she is old enough to understand the story." She shot a smile and a gentle look to her daughter who was sitting in rapture. She loved the story of the Bear clan.

"My tribe is from the Maritimes of Canada, we are scattered here and there from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and Labrador. But before that we all lived together on Penobscot Bay all along the river. We remain there as well to this day, strong and proud people. We are the Penawapskewi – though we have adopted the name Penobscot."

She was surprised to see everyone sitting in silent rapture, she could tell the stories, but her father had always been able to make them come alive. But as he was not there to tell the stories, she would have to do her best. She sat tall and straight, hands resting on her knees as she spoke.

"Once, a long time ago, there was only one clan in our tribe. One clan that flourished and prospered. The story of how my clan came to be, happened a very long time ago. Longer than this story has been told. This story was originally told and passed down by a descendant of the first of our clan." She took a moment to compose herself before she would begin the true story of her family.

"A very long time ago a Penobscot, his wife and their son left their village and began the trek to Canada. They had been called upon to be guests at a dance held by the Iroquois village of Caughnawaga. They travelled a long distance, from the river before they had to make an even longer trek. 20 miles on a river to get to the St. Lawrence river.

During the travels, the man walked ahead with the canoe and his wife was left to pack up their camp and bring it along with their son after him. Well the boy wanted to be a man, and so he ran after his father. But his father was so far ahead that the boy became lost. Thinking that her son had caught up to his father, the wife continued until she met up with her husband that night at their camp for the night. Upon arriving, they discovered that their son was not with the other like they had assumed.

The searched but could not find their son. Returning home they told the tribe their story. The tribe formed search parties that lasted several months, but there was no sign of the boy. Only the footprints of a bear. Months later, they found remnants of sharpened sticks along the distant riverbank. The boy had to be alive. Along with the sticks were the footprints of bears. The tribe believed that a family of bears had adopted the boy.

In the village there was one very lazy hunter who had not joined in the search. Finally after many in the village bothered him, he agreed to help search for the boy. He entered the woods and walked right up to a bear den and knocked with his bow against the rocks at the entrance. A noise erupted from the cave where the bears and the boy lived. A large bear – the father – came to the entrance offering a birch-bark vessel to the man. The man shot and killed the bear.

The mother bear came to the entrance with another vessel. She was killed also. Soon after the baby followed suit and the man killed it as well. Upon entering the cave he found the boy huddled in a corner, crying in fear and for his family that had been killed. He carried the boy home and gave him to his parents. The lazy hunter became rich overnight as everyone in the village thanked him.

The parents of the boy noticed that their son was no longer the same boy he had once been. When angered he would sprout fur on his back and shoulders. He would eat only uncooked meats. He was stronger than ever before and was wild. It took a very long time, but the mother was able to win her son back with patience and love. He was a real person again. He grew up proud and honourable like his father. Eventually he married a woman from the village and they were proud to have many many children. But forever after he and his descendants were called Bears.

His eldest son who had married and had many children was hunting one day in bear country. A bear attacked him and he shot and killed it. The bear became saddened as it died – only to turn into the man's father. The man told his son 'I am proud of you – you are a man of Bears.' Upon his death the father became what he had always been once more, a bear. From then on we embraced the name, our clan would draw pictures of bears on birch-bark with charcoal and leave them at our empty campsites. When asked, we would tell all. 'We are of the Bear family.'"

Finishing, she bowed her slowly. When she lifted her head she had a large smile on her face.

"Wow." The pack looked floored at the story.

"Wow indeed." Jacob and Billy looked just as awed. They were direct descendants of Ephriam Black who had been the chief, but Gray was a descendant of a bear as the story told. Not a man who became a bear, but a bear that became a man.

"That is a wonderful story Gray. We were all very glad to hear it." Sue smiled, putting a hand on Gray's shoulder. Demi stood and walked over to her mom, giving her a hug and crawling into her lap.

"I love that story Momma Bear." Gray smiled, kissing the top of her daughter's head.

"Me too Baby Bear, me too."


	7. Three Days

**Author's Note;**

Alright, so here is chapter seven. Like I said a lot about the Cullen's and their issues. The newborn battle is coming very very soon. So here we go!

**Disclaimer;**

Please see chapter one.

* * *

><p>After the stories were told, the group began to break up and head their separate ways. Romantic walks down the beach, heading home or in the case of Gray, taking her sleeping daughter home. Jacob and Billy offered to go with her, their house was only one past her own.<p>

"You tell the stories of your family wonderfully Gray." Billy had offered to carry Demi who was now curled up in a ball on his lap as he wheeled himself along.

"Thank you, but really I don't. Not compared to my father, he makes them come alive. I just know the words."

"I think you were amazing." Jacob may have been a little biased, but his heart was in the right place when he said the words. Jacob's phone began to buzz in his pocket. Answering it, he mostly listened before nodding.

"Sure, I'll be there." Closing the phone he looked over to Billy.

"I've got to go to work tomorrow."

"Work? Don't you have school?" It was still winter, just barely spring, but Christmas break had to be long over. Though she wouldn't rightfully know – she had been home schooled by her grandfather.

"I'm finishing up my schoolwork at home. I needed something to keep me busy when I was free, so Sam hooked me up with a job." It wasn't exactly a lie. Just not a full truth and even that was hard for Jacob to tell her. He wanted to tell her the truth.

"Oh – well that was nice of him. This is my stop guys. I'll take the monster." Grabbing Demi, with the practised ease of a mother she held her daughter on her hip against her, fished out her keys, unlocked the door, waved to the guys and then closed the door.

"She really is beautiful Jake, but unless you've developed X-Ray vision, I think you've seen all you're going to see of her tonight." Jacob smiled half-heartedly at his father, following behind him, occasionally looking back to just watch her house.

"Where do you have to go tomorrow?" Just because he wasn't pack, didn't mean that he didn't worry.

"They have news about the army."

"You'll be safe right?"

"We aren't going to be fighting them tomorrow, they just want me there so I can bring the info back to Sam." He opened the door, closing it after both he and his father were inside.

"You know exactly what I mean." Jacob nodded, he wasn't going to argue with his father. He waved a goodnight to his father, heading towards his bedroom. Before he could close the door, Billy's voice echoed through the house.

"Jacob – you imprinted didn't you?" He got no answer just a quick slamming of the bedroom door. In Jacob speak, that was a yes.

The next morning Jacob was up and gone before Billy was, and Billy awoke with the sun every morning. Wheeling his way into the kitchen he smiled and laughed at the note on the kitchen counter. In Jacob's messy scrawl was the one word note.

Yes.

Jacob made his way up to the bright expanse of the Cullen's house. He'd taken his bike, seeing as he didn't want any of the leeches to get the idea that exposed flesh was an invitation to try and eat him. They'd never get the chance, but even he knew he couldn't take on an entire coven of them by himself. He was a little more paranoid about them now that he had imprinted on Gray.

Raising his hand to knock he was surprised to find Esme answering the door. Esme, probably the only one of those things that he liked. But how could anyone dislike Esme? Even him. She was far to kind to be hated.

"Hello Jacob. How are you?"

"Morning Esme, I'm well. And you?" At her invitation he entered the house, following her up the stairs towards the living room.

"I'm well Jacob, thank you." It was small nominal chit chat, but it was nice. Really, who could ever hate Esme? Certainly not him. He was enveloped in a hug almost immediately by Bella. She was so tiny, he could break her with his thumb and index finger. He wouldn't, but she was so small. So little compared to _her. _ He needed to focus. Focus on the tasks at hand.

"Jake – I'm glad you came." He returned the hug, rubbing her back like a big brother would, not like he would've only three days ago. He still cared for Bella, but she meant nothing to him compared to what she used to. To what Gray meant. But despite the fact that he wasn't trying to convince Bella to choose him anymore, he still hated Edward. Offering a terse nod to him, he moved into the room. Letting Bella keep her arms around his middle.

"Yeah well, when called and asked nicely I tend to come."

"I tried to call you Jacob, but you have my number blocked." Glancing at Edward, made a thin like with his lips.

"With good reason." Bella disentangled herself from him and stood in between them.

"Be nice you two." If he had too he would.

"Sure. So what did you guys want?" He looked from perfect shiny face to perfect shiny face, he was a little unnerved by their perfectness. Even now.

"Jasper came up with a plan to hide Bella's scent from the newborns. We want you to carry her up the mountain to the camp site where she'll be staying with Edward." Even when serious, little Alice was cheerful and bright. If he had to like any of them besides Esme, it would have to be Alice. She was more like a little pixie – although he had watched her fight with Jasper. She was quick, it was her strength.

"Up the mountain? You people realize it's still winter right? She'll freeze up there! I mean if a human-Popsicle is your thing Edward, all the power to you, but I doubt it would be the best thing for Bella."

"Well we can't just leave her here, if one of them got past and caught her scent or followed ours, they could find her." Esme, ever patient and sweet.

"What about Edward's scent?" Jacob jerked a thumb over at the shiny one beside Bella.

"I'll be taking the long way around and up the mountain. Then I can protect her there if any of them come up the mountain."

"Just you? You can't take them all on. I was there when Jasper was talking about the newborns." Admittedly he hadn't been paying the most attention, but he remembered this much. "They are at their strongest in their first few months, human blood in their system...blah blah blah. Either way, you can't protect her by yourself. You need someone else there."

"Okay guys! I'm still here, stop talking about me like I'm not." Bella crossed her arms across her chest, glaring at the two men in her life that could do nothing but nit-pick at each other.

"Jacob, I want you to stay with us up there. I don't want either of you getting hurt." Wait, she wanted him to stay out of the fight? No, that was not going to happen. He had to be there to help the pack fight. What if they decimated the pack, the coven and Bella and then headed for the reserve for food? He couldn't let anything happen to Gray and Demi, and if him being there could do anything to stop that. He would be there.

"No, not a chance. I'm going to be with my pack, fighting."

"Jacob! I need you up there with me." How could he say no? He knew that if he didn't keep go up there, she would worry and come down the mountain and distract him. Then something could get past him and get to Gray. Or to Demi.

"Fine, but if they need me. I go down and help them. Deal?" There was no moving him on the deal.

"Fine." Gray came first in his mind now. First before even his life. Her life was followed quickly by Demi's. If anything happened to Demi, it would shatter Gray and that would shatter him.

"Jacob, will you take Bella into town? We need to go hunting but we don't want to leave her unattended."

"Sure, we can go wander around town." Bella said her goodbyes to the Cullen's while he waited outside by her truck. He was still fond of the truck. She hopped into the truck a few minutes later, firing it up and heading towards Forks.

"So, tell me about her Jake."

"Who?"

"Your imprint – Edward heard you thinking about her in there. You think about her a lot."

"Yeah, she is my imprint after all." Bella elbowed him in the arm.

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Everything, I want to know who this girl is that has stolen your heart right out from underneath you." Jacob laughed, good old Bella. Things were so much easier now that he didn't want her, that she was just his best friend again and not the woman he was in love with that apparently had a death wish. He still wasn't okay with the idea of her being turned, but it didn't hurt as much now. He could be happy for her if it was what she really wanted.

"Okay okay! Her name is Gray Bear."

"Bear? You're kidding right?" Jacob shook his head, how could he explain it without telling the whole story? Which he remembered perfectly. He remembered everything she had said to him.

"No, not kidding. It's part of her tribe's legend, kind of like the wolves are a part of mine."

"So, she's like you then?"

"No, just the same kind of legend. But she isn't a shifter or anything."

"Okay, continue." She wound around the corners slowly, she had to keep remembering to put her eyes back on the road. She was just amazed at how lit up Jacob became when it came to talking about this woman.

"She's nineteen, she just moved in next door to me and Dad. Everyone in the pack loves her, and she has damn good aim. You should've been there last night at the bonfire. She managed to peg Paul in the head with a football. God he was pissed!"

"Paul, isn't he the one who tried to attack me? Did he hurt her?"

"No. The thing with Paul is, that yes he has a really bad temper, but when he knows someone is joking he's okay with just about anything. When you slapped him, you were mad at him so he got mad at you. When she hit him in the head she was joking because he'd made a comment along the lines of 'Woman get in the kitchen and fix me dinner!' which he knew would piss her off." Bella nodded, trying to understand the logic behind Paul even if she really couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

"Okay then. So she got him? Right square in the head?" Jacob nodded a smile flitting over his features.

"Dead centre, right between the eyes." Now that she knew Gray hadn't been ravaged by an attack from the angry wolf man she could laugh at the situation, just picturing it.

"So, what does she look like? Any family?"

"She's talked about her father some but as far as I can tell he lives in Canada still. She does have a daughter though, a beautiful three year old terror. Seth actually imprinted on her. She's 6'3", native, from Canada actually. Black hair, beautiful grey eyes, a smile that could just break your heart, and a body to stop a truck. And I don't mean that in the perverted way it sounds, though it is nice that way too – but no. For a normal human, she looks like she could be hit by a truck and just brush off the dust. She is solid." Bella listened, absorbing, accepting. She loved Jake and she just wanted him to be happy, but until she actually met the woman she couldn't fully accept it.

"She sounds really pretty. Six three though? Jeez that's taller that some of the guys in the pack isn't it?" Jacob nodded before pointing out the window.

"She's right there actually, you can meet her if you want."

"Sure." Bella pulled the truck over, turned it off and hopped out of the truck just in time to see Jacob walking towards the woman who was basically oblivious to them. It looked like he was going to run up and grab her in an attempt to scare her, which Bella wasn't sure was very nice. But she trusted the imprinting to tell Jacob what was okay and what wasn't. He'd described it to her and it sounded like it took care of that.

He was about to grab her, but stopped just short of her. She was pale, her feet were dragging, and she was sweating. Walking down the street in winter, with only a light coat which was unzipped and a black tank-top that she had sweated through so it stuck to her skin. She was breathing heavy and when he inhaled her scent, she smelt sick. Really sick.

"Gray are you okay?" She kept on walking, so he grabbed her shoulder. Her skin was on fire. It was hot even against his skin and he ran a solid 108 degrees at all times. She had to be nearing the extremely dangerous range for humans, if she hadn't already passed it.

Holding onto her shoulder, he spun her around to face him. Ending up having to hold her up when she nearly toppled over at his motion.

"Gray! What's wrong?" She looked up at him, it was like her head was to heavy for her body. He noticed that her hair was slick was sweat to. Honestly she looked like she was dying.

"Bella, come help me get her into the truck. We gotta get her to the hospital." He felt an abnormally strong push from Gray as she pulled herself away from him to stand up all by herself. She still looked and smelt sick, but she had a kind of clarity that had been missing moments before.

"No, no hospitals. I'm fine. I'll be fine. I just have to get home, gotta take this stuff home."

"Gray, La Push is the other way, you're headed into Forks." She looked around confused. As if she thought he was lying to her.

"Am not. I'm taking the round-about way is all."

"Round-about as in going to Seattle, then doubling back through Forks to get to La Push?" She glared at him, obviously not liking his tone. Even sick, Bella had to say that she was beautiful and she was feisty. She didn't give Jake an inch.

"Jake's right, we should really get you to a hospital. Come on, it'll be fine." She tried to reach for Gray, but she pulled away again.

"No, I'm okay. And yes Jacob, for your information I was going to Seattle first! Now you run along and play sir. I am going to go home." She was delirious. But she did at least turn to head in the right direction.

"Gray right?" Bella stepped in front of her, hands up in the air slightly to signify peace since this woman was cranky and sick. Never a good mix. Gray nodded slowly, glaring at and through Bella. It was kind of unnerving.

"Let us at least take you home then? Hmm?" Gray considered, still looking through Bella.

"Fine." Loading her into the truck was easy once she was compliant. Bella sat in the passenger's seat, letting Jacob drive towards La Push while Gray leaned against him. She knew that Gray had to be burning up if Jacob was starting to sweat because of her contact. They reached her house only to find Seth, Embry and Demi all sitting in the living room. Spotting Jacob outside the house, Embry went outside while Seth remained inside with Demi.

"Jake – whoa! What happened to Gray? She didn't look like this when she left an hour ago."

"I don't know, just help me get her into her bedroom." Jacob carried her, careful of her head and legs. Embry went ahead of him, opening the front door and the bedroom doors. Bella followed behind, offering a small wave to Seth and to the glaring Demi. Demi had quickly become possessive over Seth it seemed. Jacob put her down on her bed gently, smoothing hair that had become plastered to her face and forehead away from her.

"What's wrong with her?" Embry had no answer for Jacob who was just looking at him in utter terror.

"I don't know man. I don't know." Bella's cellphone began to ring in her pocket. Grabbing it she jogged out of the house before answering.

"Hello? Hey Edward. I'm just in La Push with Jacob. No, everything's fine. With me at least, there's something wrong with Jacob's imprint. Yeah, I'll meet you at the border." Closing the phone she headed back inside, but she didn't want to disturb Jacob who was now sitting beside Gray who was trying to push him away from her even if he wouldn't leave.

"Seth, tell Jacob I'm meeting Edward at the line, I'm safe." Seth nodded, peering through the open door to Gray's room.

"Let me know what happens to her okay?"

"Sure Bells, go on. I'll see you later." Heading out of the house, she closed the front door carefully. She drove in silence and thought as she made her way to the treaty line. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Edward landed in the back of the moving truck.

"God Edward! Make some human noise would you!" She shot him an annoyed look before it softened. He slid into the truck from the outside despite the fact that it was moving.

"What happened Bella?" She shook her head. She didn't even rightly know what had happened.

"I – I just don't know. We were talking about Jacob's imprint, then we saw her on the street, so Jacob was going to introduce us. But she was sick. She was burning up, but she refused to go to a hospital, so we brought her back to her house and I just hope she'll be okay. If something bad happens to her, it'll kill Jacob." Edward sat in rapt attention, listening. He rubbed a hand down her coat covered arm with a soft sigh.

"Well to add bad news to bad news, Alice had a vision. They'll be here in three days." Three days. The small little days. That wasn't enough time, but it was all they had.


	8. Animal Blood

**Author's Note;**

Okay, chapter done. I know I've popped out quite a few today. But they're just rolling off my fingers. Whoo!

**Disclaimer;**

Please see chapter one.

* * *

><p>"Would you please stop pacing? You're wearing a hole in the floor Jake." Jake ignored Emily and kept pacing. Why had he let Demi shoo him out of Gray's room? He didn't know. He just knew that she had, said she knew just the thing to fix her mother. She was three! What did she know! Emily sighed and leaned into Sam who was worried but no where near as much as Jacob and Seth. Jacob was worried about Gray and Seth was worried about Gray because of Demi.<p>

"He isn't going to stop is he?" Sam shook his head, kissing Emily's forehead.

"I wouldn't if it was you."

"But really, I'm starting to see a dip in the floor where he is pacing. And if this keeps up, he's going to have Seth doing it to. At least he's just flitting around the room like a crack addict." The door creaked as it was opened and Demi appeared, closing the door behind her so fast that no one got a peak inside the room. She pointed at Jacob.

"Jacob – grab Mommy, she needs a cold shower." Jacob obeyed the three year old. He just knew somehow that she knew what was best for Gray. Demi proceeded into the bathroom and turned on the shower full blast to cold.

"Oh, Gray. My sweet Gray, what's wrong?" Jacob kissed her forehead before picking her up. She was mostly unconscious at this point, but she did fidget at the contact of Jacob's skin. He walked past everyone, ignoring them even as they tried to ask if she was okay. Entering the small bathroom he looked at Demi who pointed to the shower.

"In there." He did as commanded and had to fight the urge to yank her back out of the shower when she started to shiver and curled into the foetal position. Hearing something mumbled he watched as the three year old pulled out Gray's cellphone from the pocket of her jeans and put the phone to her ear. He could hear an older man on the phone.

"_Good Demi. What's she doing now?"_

"She's shivering Papa." Papa? Her grandfather was on the phone coaching her through this...this thing with Gray? Jacob couldn't help it, he snatched the phone from Demi who pouted at him like a good three year old.

"Hello? Is this Gray's father?"

"_Hello, you must be Jacob. Demi and Gray have said good things about you. Yes I am Gray's father, William Bear – but just call me Bill."_

"Okay, Bill. What the hell is wrong with her? Why did you tell Demi to put her in the shower! She needs to got a hospital. She's sick!"

"_Jacob, you need to calm down. She's just a little sick is all. Happens to her every year around this time. She'll be fine, just give it a few minutes. If in five minutes she isn't up and bouncing around like normal, call me. Ok?"_ Jacob didn't get to answer because Bill hung up on him. The line was dead and he just held the phone to his ear until Demi poked him in the leg asking for it back. He gave it back without a second thought and searched for a clock. Walking into the living room he snatched the clock off the wall stomping back into the bathroom.

"Five minutes, just five minutes." This didn't feel right to him. It hurt to just leave her there shivering in the cold water. He sat on the toilet, hands grasping the clock as he watched the seconds tick by. He had to stare at the clock or he'd have to pull her from the shower. Five minutes, it went by so slowly. The rest of the pack was smart, they stayed out of the bathroom. They wanted to check on her, but Demi had assured them that she would be fine. But what did a three year old know? Turned out, she knew a lot.

"Jacob – you're going to break my clock if you stare at it like that..." He glanced up, to see a dripping wet Gray standing on the bath mat, reaching for a towel. She looked fine, soggy but fine. Her skin was dark and no longer pale, her voice sounded normal, her eyes were bright. She looked like herself. She didn't even get to grab the towel before she was wrapped up in Jacob's arms. He held her like that, leaving the bathroom and swinging her around in a circle. He didn't care that she had just been sick and this might cause her to be sick again, but he was just so happy.

"Jacob! Jacob you're making me dizzy!" She clung to him for dear life. When he finally put her down she wobbled.

"You're okay? You're really okay?" She steadied herself, holding onto his arm as she tried to find her centre of gravity again.

"Other than a little dizzy from that ride? Yes. I'm fine." Demi pushed Jacob out of the way to cling to her mother. Gray picked her up, kissing her on the cheek several times.

"I am so sorry honey that you had to do that! I didn't even realize what day it was, and I'm sorry honey."

"Day! What does it matter what day! You almost died! Do you realize that! You were in there, dying. What was wrong with you? What do you mean you're sorry? You're sorry that you almost died? Why would you almost die any-" Jacob's mouth was covered by Gray, although he preceded to keep trying to talk past her hand.

"Jacob! Shut up would you!" He fell silent, but the way the muscle in his jaw ticked, he was either angry or really wanted to keep speaking. Sam knowing that he was angry, grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him outside. The pack followed, leaving Emily behind to keep an eye on Gray.

"Wait, where are they going?" Gray pointed at the open door. "And they couldn't even bother to close the door!" She stomped over to close it with a slam that shook the windows. She turned back to Emily who's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"A little cranky hmm?" Gray grinned sheepishly at her, letting Demi run off to her room for a self enforced nap.

"Yeah, just a little. Comes with the territory."

"Territory?"

"Motherhood, I'm just, I just feel bad about Demi having to take care of me. Usually I'm better about not letting her see me so sick."

"So you get this sick often?"

"Once a year really, it kind of builds up is all. But I get really sick as I'm sure you saw."

"Yeah, we kind of noticed. Look, I gotta go – I'll call you later okay?" Emily left and on the walk home she had to admit to herself that she had been wrong and that Sam had been right. Gray was hiding something. Though she had no clue what it was.

Three days flew by. And no one saw Gray at all. Occasionally they would see Demi going to get the mail from the mailbox, but she ignored everyone and simply went back into the house, closing it before anyone could see inside. And everyone was watching. They couldn't get into that house short of breaking down the door. It had been three days and if Alice was right, the newborns would be there soon.

Jacob had carried Bella up the mountain on his back. He had been stuck in his wolf form for three days. He was to angry to change back. Every time he almost did, he got angry again. And for once he was thankful that Edward was there to translate his thoughts to Bella.

"Jacob – what happened with Gray." Though she knew Edward would answer, Bella was staring into the eyes of the horse sized moody wolf that was laying at the entrance of her tent.

"From what I can get out of his head that isn't some rather inventive swear words, Gray is fine. But he's mad at her. I can't tell why, I keep getting more swear words after that." Edward threw his hands up in defeat. He'd been trying for over two hours to get something out of Jacob's head aside from swear words. But it was very obvious that he was extremely angry.

"You can't get anything out of him?" He shook his head.

"Nothing, unless you want to hear some of those inventive swears. He chuckled, I kind of like that one." This earned him a dirty look from Bella.

"Sorry, but some of those are really funny." Jacob growled and Bella laughed at the pair. Vampire with his hands in the air and a giant wolf growling now to himself.

"I don't think he finds it funny."

"Apparently not."

"Look, Jacob. It'll all work out. Isn't that what you told me about imprinting? You two were made for each other. You'll work past this and everything will be okay. Just stop thinking about it. It'll only make it worse." She was trying to be the voice of reason to her best friend, but he simply turned his head away from her and stared down the mountain.

"He really wants to be killing something right now." Edward hid a half smile, knowing Bella wasn't exactly in a joking manner due to Jacob's mood.

"When did you become so violent Jake?" This got a snort of what she assumed was laughter from the wolf.

"Three days ago he says." The conversation continued on like that, Jacob slowly calming down until he was able to change back. Thankfully he'd brought some clothes with him. Changing into his shorts he sat inside the tent with Bella and Edward and he was actually thankful Edward had been there, he really was. And not just as a translator. It was nice to see that Edward wasn't some perfect god like Bella made him out to be all the time. He had his faults that made Bella frown and glare at him. Not often, but enough that it was comforting. Edward was a vampire, but he was also normal too. Good to know.

They were relaxing, on edge in case any of the newborns appeared, but relaxed none the less. It wasn't until they heard a scream from a little girl that anything out of the ordinary happened. It took Jacob half a second to recognize that sound. Demi. Then he heard Gray's voice.

"Demi!" He heard another scream escape Demi and he was off running before Edward or Bella could stop him. They followed instead. The scene they came upon wasn't quite what anyone would have expected. Demi was hiding in a large log and Gray was being held against a tree by her throat. While another vampire began to reach inside the log for the screaming Demi. Jacob was still to far away to do anything so he simply kept running trying to get there.

At Demi's second scream, something changed in the air and in Gray. She grabbed the cold fingers around her throat, peeling them off with an inhuman strength. Jacob was almost there, he would get there. He slid to a halt when Gray suddenly wasn't human anymore. She was a bear now. A black bear that was slightly larger than he was as a wolf. A roar escaped the bear, it was an ear shattering sound as it swiped at the vampire that had been trying to reach Demi.

The vampire was sent flying through several trees before falling to the ground motionless. It was obvious why after a moment, it was missing it's head. Standing over the log, the bear raised itself up on it's hind legs, nearly double in height. Another roar escaped it before it slammed back down to the ground with it's front feet, making everything shake with the force of the giant creature. The noise had drawn the attention of some other newborns that had made it past the pack. They began their attack. Trying to get to the bleeding girl hiding beneath the furious mother bear.

Jacob didn't even think about the fact that his imprint was like him. She was a shifter, and a bear at that. He simply burst into a giant wolf and jumped into the fray, attacking the newborns that were trying to get around behind Gray. She was more than strong, she was stronger than Jacob was but he was faster and more agile. The downside for her was, she was defending something and couldn't leave her place. She couldn't dodge their attacks. They hit her and she cried out in pain each time, but it only seemed to increase her rage as Demi cried under her mother, never leaving the relative safety of the log.

What seemed like hours later though it had only been in fact two minutes, a long legged wolf came flying into the fray to attack the newborns that were getting to close to Gray and her daughter. Jacob recognized it as Seth instantly.

"_Am I ever glad to you Seth!"_

"_What is that thing!" _Seth took a moment to look up at the bear that was Gray.

"_That's Gray."_

"_Gray? You're kidding me right?"_

"_Nope, Seth on your left!" _The conversation effectively ended as Seth and Jacob attacked, both fighting to protect their imprints while Gray kept getting angrier and angrier. When one of the newborns bit into the back of her neck, the scream from her was nearly unbearable for Jacob. She tore at her back, missing the vampire occasionally and instead hitting herself. Her back was bloody now, which only brought more of the newborns to attack her. She finally got the newborn, but fell back to all fours and began to wobble.

Her breathing became laboured as she tried to remain standing. Her body began to shake and started making noises of pain. Bella who still remained on the hill with Edward grabbed his arm.

"It's killing her! Edward, you have to do something. Help them!" He did as she asked, and entered the fray. It wasn't long before the newborns were destroyed. Soon the entire pack was there as well as the rest of the Cullen's. Carlisle was there as Jacob turned back. He was bruised and beaten, but it would all heal. Gray was shaking where she stood, her joints locking and protruding horribly as her body revolted against the venom coursing through her.

"Jacob, you have to get her to change back, I can't help her if she's like this." He didn't know what to do. So he stepped directly into her path which earned him a hard smack in the side. It sent him sprawling to the ground, holding his right side in pain. Carlisle knelt down beside him. He looked at the pack.

"She's shattered the bones on the right side of his body."

"Help me stand, I need to help her." Even the pain in his body wouldn't let him not help her. Sam, Quil and Seth held him. Everyone else in the pack who hadn't imprinted, didn't understand the need to save her and that it was all consuming. Against the pain, he stood in front of her again.

"Gray, it's me Jacob. Gray, you need to change back. You need to. For Demi. For me." He watched the dark eyes of the bear narrow, trying to process through the pain before it fell to it's side and collapsed. After a moment, Gray was left in it's place. Naked and screaming in pain.

"Seth, get Demi out of here. Go to my place." Seth grabbed Demi from inside the log and she clung to him like her life depended on it. He was going to Sam's place, it would be the safest place and Demi would be with people she knew. The poor girl began to sob into Seth's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Mommy. I didn't mean to fall. I didn't mean to bring the bad people. Mommy! Mommy!" She screamed for her mother the entire way back to La Push and to Emily's house. It broke Seth's heart every step further away from her mother that he took her. But it was safest. She screamed more when they reached Emily's. She screamed until her voice was raw and then she just cried silently.

Gray kept screaming as well, screaming even after her voice was raw. Her body twisted and contorted into strange ways as Carlisle tried to get a better look at the wound.

"I need someone to hold her down so I can look at the wound. You have to hurt her. Break her bones if you have to, to keep her in place. But I need to get the venom out. We're running out of time." The two strongest members of the surrounding group that weren't injured were Sam and Emmett. They glared at each other for a moment before moving to pin Gray down on her stomach. Not trusting Emmett near the blood, Sam held down her shoulders and arms. Emmett pinned her by her legs.

"Damn it, it's not killing her. It's changing her." Carlisle swore, he never swore. Jacob released a growl at seeing Emmett's hands on Gray's hips while his knees held her down by her calves. But he couldn't rip him a part. He was helping Gray and he couldn't move the right side of his body. He was in pain, but the pain in his chest as he watched Gray be tortured was worse.

"Jacob – I need to get the venom out. You have to let me drink from her." Jacob tried to get up, but was held down by Embry. Leah who had remained silent anytime that Gray was mentioned or was around squatted down by Jacob.

"I'll rip his head off if he takes more than he should." Jacob nodded slowly, trusting Leah for some reason he couldn't fathom. She knelt on the other side of Carlisle who lowered his head to the back of her neck and began to drink. After a few minutes he stopped. His eyes were a bright gold.

"Her blood is clean. But her blood is – it isn't human. It's animal." Gray's screaming stopped as did her convulsions. Instead she simply lay there where Sam and Emmett left her. Emmett was the only vampire big enough to cover her with his shirt, so he quickly pulled it off and covered her body with it but did not touch her anymore. He knew she was Jacob's imprint and while he was a lot of talk, he didn't want to mess with an angry pack.

"Jacob, let me work on you, then you can see her." And so Carlisle began the task of re-breaking all of Jacob's bones.


	9. Origins and Sunsets

**Author's Note;**

Alright, so the newborn army is defeated. I'm sure some of you noticed that one major red haired antagonist was missing from that particular battle, but don't worry. She'll show up.

**Disclaimer;**

Please see chapter one.

* * *

><p>The week had passed by in a flurry of days, hours and moments that made no sense. Jacob was healthy, Gray was healthy. Demi was safe and sound though scared to be alone, but with good reason. Everyone had survived the newborn attack. Although Gray would always have the scar on the back of her neck from the newborn that had bitten her. She and Bella had something in common, though Gray had quickly found that she really did not like the girl. She liked her fiance Edward even less even if he had helped to save her. She couldn't help her feelings. Jacob, he was another story. He hadn't talked to her in a week. Once he knew she'd be okay, he had stopped talking to her. He was mad. Understandably but so was she. He turned into a wolf and she a bear.<p>

"I mean really, what gives him the right to be such an asshole?" Gray growled over the phone to Emily who honestly had stopped paying attention. They had been having that particular conversation for the last two hours and at this point Gray was just repeating herself. But she had to get it out and since she and Leah still were not on the best of terms, Emily was who Gray turned to.

"He feels hurt and a little betrayed." She knew it was a bad answer, but she couldn't help but want to defend Jacob.

"_He_ feels hurt and betrayed! What about me? He turns into a god damn wolf for fun to kill vampires, which by the way I did not know existed! Why not just mind fuck me twice in one shot eh? At least I was only hiding one thing from him. My secret wasn't going to get him killed!" Slinking into her seat, Emily slid a hand down her face before her head fell back to rest against the back of the couch. She would hang up and pretend her power had been cut, but Gray knew better. She knew Sam payed the bills on time like the anal retentive Alpha that he was.

"But it wasn't just his secret, it's a pack secret."

"I get that, I really do. But some hint might have been nice. And I'm still waiting on the damn explanation of why he was there in the first place." Resisting the urge to bang her head against the nearest brick wall, Emily sighed slowly and softly to regain some semblance of calm and friendliness.

"Gray, I know you're upset. But I really have to go. Sam's home. Bye!" She hung up before Gray could say anything else. For once she didn't feel bad about lying.

Gray understood, at least until she looked out her window and saw Sam walking down the street away from Jacob's. Her eye's narrowed as she stalked outside towards Sam. She effectively stopped him in his tracks by getting in his way and refusing to move. She pointed an accusing finger at him.

"You! Tell Emily she is a liar and I know it!" With that she stepped around him and began to stomp towards Jacob's house. She was beyond pissed at the entire situation. If he had even told her that something was going on, even if he hadn't told her everything, she wouldn't have had Demi out for a walk in the woods that day. Demi wouldn't have gone back to Canada for a few weeks to be with her Grandfather because the smallest bang scared her into tears. Seth was broken up about it, but he understood. So he just moped. Although Gray still did not understand his attachment to her daughter in the least. But the maternal instincts inside her of both woman and bear, told her that he was no threat. That he would actually keep her very safe when given the chance.

During her stomping towards Jacob's house, she didn't even stop to see Sam's bewildered look before he continued towards his and Emily's house. She reached the house and banged on the door. Billy was fishing and Jacob obviously wasn't paying attention or he probably wouldn't have opened the door. When he saw it was Gray he attempted to close it, but she caught the door with her hand. She was not as strong as he was in her human form, not by a long shot. But she had enough strength to hold the door open and slip inside of the house before he managed to slam the door. She now found herself sandwiched between the door and a very angry Jacob. Though he didn't scare her in the least.

"What do you want?" He was still mad at her. He'd watched her go through her sickness to get to the state she was in now. Strong and a fucking bear. She turned into a fucking bear. He still didn't know everything about it, but he knew that she had kept something really big from him and it pissed him off.

"What do I want? How about a fucking explanation Jacob? Hmm, yeah that could be a great start." He narrowed his eyes at her dangerously, her own eyes narrowing back. A low growl rumbled through him in warning. He was angry a lot these days and it seemed to have put him a little bit more in touch with the wolf inside of him. She returned his growl with one of her own.

"Why do you get an explanation and I don't?"

"When did I ever say you wouldn't get an explanation! You just assumed you wouldn't! You stopped talking to me and shut me out before I could explain anything to you or anyone." That made him pause. Although she hadn't given him a chance to explain either. In truth they were both at fault.

"We both fucked up Gray." Once they were face to face, it was easier to forgive the other. Damn imprint working against them. It wasn't that Jacob was upset that he had imprinted on her, but he wanted to be able to be mad at her and forgive her of his own volition, not be forced to do it by some mystical force. Though it seemed to work on her too as she lost the dominant and defensive stance and leaned into his warm chest.

"You can say that again." His arms wrapped around her waist and came to rest against her back, large hands splayed against her skin. It hadn't occurred to either of them just how much they had missed each other.

"So can I have an explanation now?" She nodded against his chest and let him lead her to the living room where she sat on the couch, curling herself up against him. Neatly fitting against his side as he sat beside her.

"Well you remember the tribe legend I told at the bonfire?" She felt more than saw his nod. She remained silent for a moment, trying to explain it in a way that he would understand.

"Well the legend is a bit more complicated than that. Now depending on who you talk to in my family, there are two different ways we came about. My grandfather believed that the boy that was lost, was eaten by one of the bear cubs and began to look like him. My father believed that the mother bear begged to the creators to bless her child with the ability to survive with them and that the creator answered and turned the boy into a bear in human skin." She shrugged slowly, fingers lacing together around her knees.

"I don't know what I believe, but I do know that what the good blood sucking doctor said is true. I'm not technically human. Technically I'm a bear that turns into a human. I guarantee if Bella's leech tried to read my mind he wouldn't be able to. Not because I'm broken like Bella is, but because I'm more of an animal than anything else." Jacob nodded slowly, chin resting on the top of her head as he listened.

"Okay, the explains the origins. Now I want to know the how do you change, does it hurt, your strengths, your weaknesses, ways I can avoid turning you into a bear. Because damn you hit hard." She chuckled knowing he was joking, or at least hoping that he was joking with her.

"Changing for me is kind of like breathing. One second I'm a person and the next I'm a bear the size of a Clydesdale. Father figures that the bear and I are always in the same space, it's just a matter of which is visible. Kind of like a person with split personality. One is more dominant over the other and visible. The other only comes out when the dominant one can't handle the situation anymore. Then the second one, usually the one with the life saving skills, shows up and handles the situation. Difference is I can change at will. And no, it doesn't hurt. Like I said, it's like breathing. I inhale as a human and exhale as a bear."

"So you're telling me your crazy? Is that it?" She whacked him in the stomach with her hand.

"You already knew that before I told you that. Don't be a smart ass!" He leaned over and began to tickle her, until she cried uncle.

"Okay, strengths, weaknesses, how do I keep you from hitting me again." Anyone else asking the questions, and she would've felt like she was being interrogated. With Jacob, it felt like he just wanted to know.

"Basically I'm exactly like a bear, just kind of a super hero bear. I'm super bear! I'm strong, when I'm a bear, I can knock down a solid concrete building and bite through steel. I'm faster than a bear or a human, but no where near as fast as you. My top speed is about seventy-five miles per hour. I'm not as agile as you or the rest of the pack, but my stamina is greater. I can go for days on end." Sitting up she folded her legs and sat in a near meditation pose, looking at him. Watching his reaction to figure out what it was exactly his reaction would be.

"And as long as you don't pose any kind of threat to Demi, you're in no danger of my turning by accident and attacking you. I only attacked you then because I was delirious. Oh, that is the other thing. I do heal faster than humans, but not as fast as you do. Now it's your turn bud." He remained silent, watching her with his dark eyes that made her shiver deep down. God, she just wanted to kiss him. But she was far to interested in learning about what he was.

"Well my origins are explained right in the legends. Catch is, I'm a direct descendant of the chief. He was the first and I would've been had Sam, Paul, Jared and Quil not been older than me. It hits around sixteen or seventeen. It hit Seth at fifteen. It's the reason I'm bigger than everyone else, as a human and a wolf. It's also the reason I'm stronger too. Technically I am the Alpha of the pack and Sam is my beta, even though we're revered right now. Sam was the first to change so he just naturally became Alpha. But when I changed, he offered me the position. I said no, I don't want to be Alpha right now, if ever. We run at a solid one hundred eight degrees all the time, so we can withstand heat and cold easier. You already saw what we look like as wolves. We just kind of explode I guess. We're strong and fast and made specifically for killing vampires. Whenever they are around those with the pack blood transform. Oh and we've got an annoying and helpful mental mind link up when we're in our wolf forms. And the Alpha can give an Alpha command that cannot be disobeyed by anyone." She listened quietly, taking it all in. He didn't know why he left out the imprinting, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her about it just yet. Just not yet, but he promised himself and her silently that he would tell her.

"Huh. That explains a lot."

"And as for your strength – your a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. It takes two of us to do to a vampire what you did to those newborns. The first one you hit, he didn't have a head when you were done." She shrugged, a blush tinting her features slightly as she looked at him.

"When I'm protecting Demi, I don't even think. I just do."

"So, I have one more question for you."

"Hmm?"

"What was that whole thing the day you got sick? I've been dying to know ever since I found out about you."

"That? Me coming out of hibernation. The first official day of spring is when bears come out of hibernation. You can't tell because of how warm you run, but I'm not to far below you in temperature now. My body heats up and usually I keep better tabs on when it's coming and I keep my internal temperature lower so that it doesn't have such adverse affects on me. The same thing happens in winter, except my body temperature lowers. Mid-winter, I'm about as cold as a vampire. I'm weaker, slower...basically my bear goes into hibernation and it's harder for me to change at will. Though if I'm protecting someone I love, it will burst out of me still." Jacob snorted his laughter.

"Good to know, well in winter I'll be your blanket. I'll keep you warm." She smiled over at him and against her better judgement she leaned towards him and pressed her lips to his ever so gently.

"I just might take you up on that." His hand held the back of her neck, his thumb across her jaw line as he pulled her back to him to return the kiss. It was just a kiss, it lead to nothing and after a moment they pulled away. They remained there, his hand on her cheek and her's on his arm. Their noses were almost touching. After a few more moments she bounced up, turning to stare at him.

"Wanna go for a run?" She spotted his movement and ran out the door before he was fully off the couch. She ran towards the trees, changing once she was in cover of the trees. Jacob leapt over the old boat in the backyard and landed as a wolf. Slinking into the trees, he spotted his prey. The bear that was as big as he was. Until she stood that was. They couldn't talk verbally or even mentally, but it was an unspoken communication as they looked at each other before taking off. He gave her a head start since she wasn't as fast as him. But he didn't give her much of one. He was able to weave through the trees, but she had the momentum and the power to jump larger obstacles. They ran until they reached the cliffs.

He was tired when they finally stopped, his legs were sore from running, but she looked like she could've kept going. She would've run across the ocean if she could've. Laying on the ground with a sigh he yipped at her with a dirty look. She grumbled back, batting at his ear with a smile before sitting down beside him. Getting up, he walked behind a tree to change back. He pulled on a pair of jeans before returning to find her sitting there as a human. Except she was naked and she had neglected to bring any clothes with her. And he had nothing to offer her. But she didn't seem bothered.

"I love sunsets." She motioned towards the sunset, even if he couldn't take his eyes off her skin. The sunset painted her skin beautiful glowing colours, accentuating all of her features but not overshadowing them. Perfect.

"Me too."


End file.
